Pass It On

Memories of my childhood are getting farther away these days. Still, a few of them rise to the surface now and again, not unlike a trout rising to partake of an early-evening fly or two.

Our grandson came over for a visit this past weekend. He's 11 now so I thought it might be time to teach him a few things, like how to tie a fly.

My dad taught me how to tie flies. I guess it's one of those things that gets passed from generation to generation. Or watched on YouTube. Lol!

"Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it." - Proverbs 22:6

I explained to my grandson that going to the bait shop and buying worms is okay, but there's something special when you can catch a fish using something you made yourself. A sense of accomplishment instilled in a young man's heart.

Then we dropped the fish hook on the floor. It took us five minutes to find it. None of us could get the bobbin threaded, then the ancient feather broke. It was a struggle.

But then, when his dad came to pick him up, he held up the finished fly to show him, with a big smile on his face.

Perhaps my grandson will never use the fly he tied with me, but who knows. Perhaps it will be the first of many. God knows.

"As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him." - Mark 1:16-18

Never pass up an opportunity to teach someone lessons from the heart. They just may become memories that will last a lifetime.

Whittlin'

This looks like a really nice rainbow trout. I wonder where they got it mounted. Answer: they didn't. It's carved out of wood.

Some guy sat down with a boring piece of wood and a knife and he created this beautiful fish.

YOU have been "carved." Whittled into who YOU are. You just don't know it.

Every person on this planet has been shaped and whittled into who they are today, and the process is still going on. Every trial, every success, every challenge we face changes us. It effects our character.

When my dad was a kid he carved his own toys - plane, a dancing man on a stick. Whittlin' is a lost art these days, but some can still do it. God can.

If you watch videos of wood carvers, they usually start out their carvings by looking at a picture. They refer to images constantly, making sure every detail is correct. Tremendous attention to detail. God did that with us. We were created in HIS image.

You are a whittlin' project whether you like it or not, and God is the master carver. We all started out as rather unimpressive "blocks of wood" but then God started working on us and the next thing you know we have been "fearfully and wonderfully made."

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 16Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." - Psalm 139:4-6

Sometimes the wood we are made out of has knots in it or little imperfection of one kind or another, but that's what makes us unique. Our imperfections, in the hands of a master carver, can be turned into points of interest in the eyes of the beholder. Don't fear your imperfections, embrace them. They make you who you are.

"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." - 2 Corinthians 12:9

Fish Carving

Hidden Treasure

Since my retirement began I have been going through all of my "stuff", weeding out things I don't need or no longer find useful. My wife calls it "death cleaning" - getting rid of stuff so my kids don't have to go through it after I'm gone. Ha ha! I call it "a treasure hunt."

It's amazing some of the things we can find when we go through our old junk. Some of it is just plan garbage but then there are things we find that are absolutely priceless. Like the hidden treasure I found yesterday in my dad's old fishing creel.

I was in Michigan last month, visiting my mother. She asked me to go through the garage and take whatever I wanted of my dad's stuff. So I grabbed his creel. My dad and I used to go fishing together. We each had a creel (the bag you carry the fish you caught in). Now I had two. I took it just to get it out of her garage.

Well, I picked it up today to put it someplace else and I felt something hard inside. "It better not be a fish!" I thought. Luckily is was just a small box, but what a box! It was my dad's fly-box. There were probably a couple hundred flies in there! Wet flies, dry flies, but they were all  flies my dad had used.

As I looked through his fly collection I found one very special fly. Nothing eye catching by any means but it was a fly that I had made him years ago. How cool and yet somehow humbling. Useless to some, yet precious to me.

In the book of 2nd Kings there is a story about Josiah. He was 8 years old when he became king. He had someone go through HIS stuff and they found the Book of the Law. Hidden treasure! He read it and found out that he and his people had been living contrary to God's wishes all their lives. He immediately felt convicted and humbled himself before the Lord.

Repentance is an amazing thing. It is such a blessing to finally be doing what is right in God's eyes. It's a relief. Being forgiven, even punished for our sins, is worth it in the end, if we are doing what God desires for us to do.

Finding my dad's box of flies instantly took me back to the Middle Branch River in Michigan where my dad taught me how to fish. He was watching me when I caught my first fish. What a blessing it is to do what is right in our Father's eyes - both our earthly father's and our Heavenly Father's.

"19 Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people—that they would become a curse and be laid waste—and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I also have heard you, declares the Lord." - 2 Kinds 22:19

There is nothing like doing what is right, right there in front of your father. Hmm. Maybe it's time to go fishing again . . . and remember that simpler time, when everything was . . . well, it was perfect.

Fishing With Father - A River Runs Through It

The Vanishing Point

I went trout fishing this past Sunday evening. All by myself. I hadn't gone fishing for a long, long time. Since my dad and I went fishing years ago I think. He's been gone a few years now. I miss fishing with my dad.

There is a really nice trout stream a few miles from my house. A really nice fishing hole too. The river makes a turn to the right at a large boulder. The current has cut a deep hole there where the trout seek refuge from the hot summer sun. That's where I found myself Sunday night.

As I cast my fly I noticed how my fly line, so distinct and obvious when it is near to me, disappeared, vanishing into the depths of the river. I began to think how that disappearing line is like so many of our relationships. Not only our earthly relationships but our relationship with God as well.

Have you lost relationships over the years? Why is that? I think it's because not enough effort is placed in maintaining those relationships, either by one party or the other . . . or both.

How quickly relationships and memories can fade with time. My return to the trout stream that day was a purposeful act, that of a son desiring to go fishing one more time with his father. But more than that, it was an earthly son longing for a deeper, more meaningful relationship with his heavenly father. I think all those things were accomplished that day.

After Jesus was crucified, died and was buried, He returned to be with His disciples several times. Why? I think it was to keep their relationship alive, to teach them a few things but mainly to encourage them and simply to love them. So it should be with ALL of our relationships.

We can't allow our most treasured relationships get to the vanishing point. We need to nurture them like Jesus did. We should show and tell others we love them while we have the chance. We can do so simply by being with them and loving them right where they are. As a father teaches his son to fish, so we must tend to our relationships. In doing so, we will find our relationship with our Heavenly Father will grow as well.

"4 Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” 6 He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. 7 That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. 8 The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off.

9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead." - John 21:4-14

Particularly Good To Me - A River Runs Through It

Fishers of Men

In the books of Matthew and Mark, Jesus tells Simon and Andrew that, if they follow Him, He will make them "fishers of men." Why would becoming fishers of men be of interest to a couple of fishermen? They were fishers of fish! And just how does one go "fishing" for men anyway? What bait should be used? How big would the hook have to be? Herein lies the story of one such man, or should I say "fish," and just how it was that Jesus was able to catch him.

As a fisherman myself there are several things you need to know in order to have a successful fishing trip. Without knowing what you are fishing for how can you possibly succeed? The following is a short list of things one needs to know in order to catch fish.

1. Know where the fish are.
2. Know what equipment you will need.
3. Know what fish like to eat.
4. Know when fish like to eat.
5. Know how to "present" the bait . . . the lure.

I have discovered that fishing for men is no different than fishing for fish. You don't even need a license! And you can fish for them year round! In season and out of season. You just can't keep them or fillet them. It's strictly catch and release.

When God set out to "catch" me, He knew everything about me. My deep, dark secrets, all of the mistakes I had made. He knew what things interested me. He knew the things I craved and the things I thought about when the lights were out and I was all alone. Points 1, 3 and 4 in the list above were already taken care of. He still needed Point #2 though . . . the right equipment.

Enter a good-looking, well-constructed woman onto the scene. Right equipment? Check! Presentation? Check! God had everything in place to catch me and I was totally oblivious to what was going on. I couldn't even see the hook! That's because The Holy Spirit cannot be seen.

Unbeknownst to me, the new friend in my life was a Christian. And she was fishing, just like Jesus had taught her to do. And NOT the way the world teaches.

The day of my transformation was January 15, 2006. I was sitting in church with my wife, the result of a guilt trip my new friend had laid on me. Or should I say the Holy Spirit did. I heard a message that day from the pulpit that was exactly what I needed to hear and I became a believer in Jesus Christ right then and there.

Psalm 37:4 says "4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." That is SO true. One of the first things I felt convicted about when I came to believe was not being a godly father to my children. I had failed them AND God in my opinion. But God is a God of many chances. And what do you think He would have me do? How about a volunteer with a youth group. My children were grown and out of the house but suddenly I had dozens of kids to guide and mentor. It was perfect. It was SO God.

Many wonderful relationships came out of the time I spent with those kids. And God was true to His promise. He gave me the desires of my heart. Both of my kids now go to church each week with their spouses - a blessing indeed! Do they believe? I can't tell that, only God can. But the chances sure a better sitting in a pew rather than a recliner at home!

There is great joy in becoming a fisher of men. You should try it some time. I did. Oh, how I love to watch God pursuing these young people! They are a tricky fish to catch but God is a pro angler. He can even catch fish using old rusted equipment like me - a grandfather" to the next generation.

Have you ever noticed what letter a fish hook looks like. Coincidence? I think not!

"3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

4 Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” 6 He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. 7 That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” - John 21:3-7

Fishers Of Men - Billy Graham Evangelical Association 

Fishers Of Men - on Faith & Testimony.com

Fishin'

"While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” - Matthew 4:18-19

I used to do a lot of fishing in my younger years. Fly fishing . . . for trout. It was a good way to spend some time outdoors, by myself, to unwind. I used to tie my own flies. There was something very satisfying about catching fish using a lure I had made. The trout I chose to keep I cleaned right there on the river bank but most of the fish I caught were released.

One evening, while fishing the Crystal River just south of Parfreyville, I noticed what appeared to be a rather large trout feeding under some overhanging tree branches - a tricky cast, but I had to try.

I made several false casts trying to "make sure" before I let the fly drop. Perfect! But the fish didn't bite. So I tried again . . . . and again . . . and again. Nothing. The fish was still there. It was still feeding, but it obviously wasn't eating anything I had to offer. I changed flies several times but I never found anything of interest to my wise old friend.





This past weekend I was scrolling through the seemingly endless list of Facebook status updates. Post after post after post. I began to feel like I was back in the Crystal River again - a flood of status updates "streaming" towards me. And actually? I WAS fishing. Not for trout, but for friends in need.

Before I go much further, and before you begin thinking of me as a major creeper, I should let you know that I am a youth leader in my church. The fish in my Facebook "stream" are students. Students I love dearly.

It wasn't long before my eyes came across exactly what I was looking for. A message.

I know. There are lots of "messages" on Facebook. I'm not looking for those generic Facebook messages. You know, the kind with words in them. No. I look for messages without words. I look for messages "between the lines."

This week I took a chance and reached out to someone who was having a bad day. It was like that cast those many years ago. Waiting. Watching . . . but this time however, unlike my failed attempts at that big trout, this time a chat window popped open and I found myself engaged in a conversation.

In the Bible, Jesus commands us to "go and make disciples." He doesn't tell us HOW to do it, it just tells us TO "do it." It's like fishing. We have to get into the stream and get wet. We're not going to catch many fish by standing on the shore, never wetting a line.

I left my old life behind seven years ago and followed Jesus, all because someone chose to cast a line, baited with The Gospel, in my direction.  The streams are full of fish, my friends. And they have been waiting for something good to eat their entire lives. We have the food they are seeking. We have the food they need.

We have been given a command by God to basically hang out the "gone fishing" sign. A command!When we stand in front of Jesus one day, how will we justify not doing what He has told us to do?